CCS middle-schoolers stage their first musical
The magical world of Willy Wonka’s chocolate factory comes to the stage this week at Calvary Christian School in a production featuring an enthusiastic cast, following preparations that that began with springtime auditions and students diligently rehearsing their lines over summer break.
The seventh- and eighth-graders present the musical, Willy Wonka Jr., at 6 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 17, at 7 p.m. Friday, Nov. 18, at Calvary Baptist Church, 1140 Rush Ave.
Tammy Brewer, middle school language arts/middle school and high school Spanish teacher, serves as the director of the musical. She joins together with Kirsten Fortier, music teacher, who is the Willy Wonka Jr. music director.
Fortier and Brewer related that this is the first time that the middle school students have staged a musical, and the teachers are enjoying merging their specialties for a full-scale production.
“We’ve been rehearsing, working on our choreography and learning all of the songs since day one of the school year,” Fortier said. “The students are very excited to share this musical with the community.”
The musical director noted that this performance is taking the place of the speech unit that she typically instructs with her middle school language arts pupils. All of the 41 seventh- and eighth-graders were assigned a role after their spring auditions.
Selecting Willy Wonka Jr. as the script was a natural fit for the classes and their two teachers as well.
“When I taught these two classes for fifth-grade language arts, we read Charlie and the Chocolate Factory,” Brewer said. “It’s always been one of my favorites, and I knew that these students were all familiar with the story.
“Mrs. Fortier had been involved in this production as a student, so we both agreed Willy Wonka was what we wanted to do.”
The musical based on Roald Dahl’s children’s book follows the story of main character Charlie Bucket, played by Kole Gantz, in his quest to obtain a golden ticket for the chance to tour Wonka’s factory and win a lifetime supply of chocolate.
Despite the Bucket family’s struggles with poverty, Charlie’s parents Mr. and Mrs. Bucket, played by Graham Trittschuh and Katie Worley, and his grandparents Grandpa Joe, Grandma Josephine, Grandpa George and Grandma Georgina, played by Ransom Lambert, Reagan Roell, Caleb Gantz and Gracie Carl, respectively, encourage the young boy in the light-hearted golden ticket pursuit.
In a stroke of good luck, Charlie finds a golden ticket and invites his Grandpa Joe to accompany him on the tour.
The reclusive candyman Willy Wonka, played by Aiden Keller, greets all of his guests at the factory, which also includes a comical crew of children and their parents — Augustus Gloop and Mrs. Gloop, played by Cooper Beatty and Elisabeth Hermiller; Violet Beauregarde and Mrs. Beauregarde, played by Annagail Lambert and Iva Wilson; Mike Teavee and Mrs. Teavee, played by siblings Brant and Grace Zell; Veruca Salt and Mr. Salt, played by Makarios Kariuki and Brody Prall.
Inside the factory, the children are soon introduced to the many Oompa Loompas, and encounter marvelous sights and tastes, including giant nut-selecting squirrels, fizzy-lifting drinks, Everlasting Gobstoppers, and a chocolate river. But each stop proves to be a test, as only one can go on to win the Wonka prize.
Other cast members include: the reporter Phineous Trout who announces each of the winners, played by Seth Palmer; Charlie’s school friends James and Mathilda, played by Anderson Konz and Olivia Kelly; The Candyman who sells Charlie the winning chocolate, played by Levi Hanson; the squirrels, played by Seth Jaunzemis, Lincoln Nolan and Ian Willis; and the Oompa Loompas and ensemble, Mya Davis, Clara Bender, Daniel Bender, Marcos Cerda, Emily Manns, Adler Miller, Alyssa Moran, Azland Powell, Ty Ramsey, Brooklyn Reid, Octavian Riblet, Isabelle Richards, Ben Soma, Gavin Speicher, June Thornton, Alyssa Wylie, Marley Young.
Willy Wonka Jr. is adapted for the stage by Leslie Bricusse and Timothy Allen McDonald. The show features lyrics and music by Leslie Bricusse and Anthony Newley, including beloved songs, “The Candy Man,” “I Want It Now!”, and “Pure Imagination” from the classic film Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory.
Golden tickets are available by donation at the door. For more information, call the school at (937) 599-6847.